Bajrang Punia has accepted Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s challenge to undergo narco-analysis test to find out the truth in the wrestlers’ sexual harassment allegations against the WFI president.
Bajrang Punia, Olympic bronze medallist and one of the protesting wrestlers, on Monday, said that the athletes are ready for the narco test as asked by Singh.
The WFI president had earlier said that he is ready to undergo a lie-detector or narco test to prove his innocence provided Punia and Asian champion Vinesh Phogat would do the same.
‘I am ready for my narco test, polygraph test or lie-detector test, but I have a condition that Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia should also undergo the same test. If both the wrestlers are ready for their tests, they should call the media and make that announcement. And I promise to them that I am also ready for it,’ Singh said in a social media post.
Pania said that the tests should be conducted under the Supreme Courts supervision and live streamed on national television.
Phogat said the whole country should know the kind of injustice the wrestlers have faced for years now.
‘He is not a star but a sexual harassment accused so please treat him accordingly,’ Phogat added about Singh.
The protesting wrestlers will take out another round of candlelight march from Jantar Mantar to India Gate on May 23.
‘We must remind people that ours is a peaceful protest and anyone trying to disrupt peace with provocative speeches or any kind of trouble would be himself responsible for consequences and we dont take any responsibility,’ wrestler Sakshi Malik added.
Update:
Singh on Wednesday responded to the protesting wrestlers’ allegations, and said that he would ‘hang’ himself if allegations against him are proven.
‘It has been four months since they (wrestlers) want me to be hanged, but the government is not hanging me. So they were going to immerse their medals in the Ganga. Brij Bhushan will not be hanged by throwing medals in the Ganga. If you have proof, give it to the court and if the court hangs me, I will accept it,’ Singh, who is an MP from Kaiserganj, said.
‘If a single allegation against me is proven, I will hang myself,’ the WFI chief dramatically said, while addressing a public rally in UP’s Barabanki.
Singh’s response came after the wrestlers, feeling their protest has been largely ignored, had announced their decision to consign the medals to the river Ganga in an emotive message on Tuesday.
Sakshi Malik has won one Olympic bronze and three medals at the Commonwealth Games. Vinesh Phogat has won two World Championship medals, two medals at Asiad and three Commonwealth Games medals. Bajrang Punia has won an Olympic bronze, four World Championships medals, two Asian Games and three Commonwealth Games medals.
The UP police said they would not deter the wrestlers from their plan, as visuals from the spot showed locals consoling the tearful athletes, who were also manhandled by the Delhi police earlier when they had planned to move their protests to the newly-inaugurated Parliament building.
Read more At:
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/politics/i-will-hang-myself-if-proven-guilty-wfi-chief-brij-bhushan-singh-amid-wrestlers-protest20230531150424/